Menya Ultra Ramen Reveals Its Brand New UTC Restaurant

The long-awaited fourth location of Menya Ultra finally arrived over the weekend, landing at the Collection at UTC, a new development in the former Sears footprint that also includes an Amazon office and an assortment of food and drink tenants ranging from Blue Bottle and Pacific Catch to Ben Gong’s Tea. Founded in the town of Odate in Japan’s Akita prefecture, the highly-regarded chain’s first stateside outpost won Eater’s Restaurant of the Year award in 2017 and has since opened branches in Mira Mesa and Hillcrest.

Slotting next to SomiSomi, the 1842-square-foot ramen-ya is decorated with a custom-made Japanese manga that depicts master chef Takashi Endo creating his acclaimed ramen. Using Hokkaido wheat, Endo makes fresh noodles at his noodle factory right here in San Diego and tells Eater that he's planning on ramping up production to sell noodles to other restaurants.

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Open daily at 11:30 a.m., the UTC shop is his first to offer counter-style service, with a streamlined menu that includes Menya’s best-selling tonkotsu ramen as well as other popular varieties like miso and tantan ramen. New additions include tonkotsu garlic ramen, karaage and chashu-topped rice bowls, and a selection of one-cup sake.

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